Dough Bead Jewelry

Create giant salt dough beads and turn them into fabulous, bracelets, necklaces or anklets.	Safety Tips Kids 8 years and younger should use child-safe scissors. Watch out for this sign . It means an adult's help is needed for the particular step.
Materials Salt dough (flour, salt, water) Poster paint or acrylic paint Paint brush Scissors Strings Drinking straws Plastic beads (optional) Paper clips or pipe cleaner (optional) Clear acyrlic sealer (optional)

Steps

	1.	Prepare uncolored salt dough.
	2.	Shape the dough into round, cube, star, heart or other shapes. You can also make abstract or random shapes.
	3.	Use the tip of a paint brush or pencil to make a hole through the center of each shape.
	4.	If you want to turn the bead into a pendant, make a link by inserting a paper clip or a pipe cleaner inside the dough bead.
	5.	Let the dough beads dry overnight.
	6.	Once the beads are dry, paint them as you please. You can use solid colors or you can make stripes, dots or abstract patterns.
	7.	Let the paint dry thoroughly. If you want the beads to last longer, you can apply 1 or 2 coats of clear acrylic sealer or clear wood varnish.
	8.	Cut strings long enough to make your desired jewelry. Make a knot on one end of the string.
	9.	String the painted dough beads with drinking straw pieces and plastic beads.
	10.	If you're using an elastic string like this one, you can tie the ends together before wearing the jewelry.
	11.	Wear your dough bead jewelry.
	12.	Try experimenting with different styles of jewelry. Remember the pendant we made in Step 4? Use it to make a really pretty necklace.